Folding election-booth



(No Model.)

J. HANLEY. FOLDING ELECTION BOOTH.

' No. 475,013. Patented May 17, 1892.-

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ATTORNEY.

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UMTED STATES I PATENT OFFICE.

JOHN HANLEY, OF TERRE I-IAUTE, INDIANA.

FOLDING ELECTION-BOOTH.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 475,013, dated May 17, 1892. Application filed November 2, 1891- Serial No. 410,679. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, JOHN HANLEY, a citizen of the United States, residing at Terre Haute, in the county of Vigo and State of Indiana, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Folding Election-Booths; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, which will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and to the letters and figures of reference marked thereon, which form part of this specification.

My invention relates to improvements in folding booths, and belongs to that class of booths used to seclude voters at elections.

The objects of my invention are, first, to provide a booth that will fulfill the requirements of the law; second, to provide a booth that will be light in weight and easily handled, and, third, to provide a booth that may be folded up into as little space as possible for storing away when not in use. I attain these objects by the mechanism illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 is a perspective view of the frame of the booth, also showing by dotted lines the outlines of the curtains. Fig. 2 isa perspective view of the frame-work of the booth when closed or folded up for storing.

Similar letters and figures refer to similar parts throughout the several views.

The letters a, b, c, and dindicate four metallic standards, usually made of common gaspipe. These standards are connected in pairs a c and b d by three braces each, h fj and c e g, respectively, said braces being joined to the standards by means of ordinary T-joints 25, one at the top, one at the bottom, and one at the middle of the same, thus forming the two side frames aj c h and b 2' d g, which are strengthened by the middle braces f and e, respectively. The two side frames are connected by means of two iron knuckle-joint braces a: and y. One end of each of 1 these braces is fastened by means of a pivot to and a short distance from the top of the respective rear standards 0 and d, while the other ends of the same are fastened in the same manner to and near the lower ends of the opposite standards, thus crossing the back of the booth diagonally, as shown in Fig. 1. The letter 7' indicates an iron rod, the extreme ends of which are bent at right angles, in order that they maybe inserted into the upper ends of the front standards a and I), the upper ends of said standards being provided with hollow plugs p for the purpose of receiving the ends of the rod 0"; also, a similar plug is provided at the upper end of standard cl.

A shelf is, of either sheet metal or wood, is suspended between the braces f and e,"affording a writing-desk for the voter and at the same time an additional brace for the booth. This shelf extends from side to side of the booth, and is of such width that the voter may write with comfort upon it and at the same time have sufficient standing-room between the shelf and the curtain 2. (Shown onlyin dottedlines.) Thisshelfissuspendedupontwo iron bars, which extend to the full length of the shelf, to the under side of which they are fastened, and they protrude beyond one end of the same in the shape of loops, which encircle the brace e, and thus form a hinge upon which the shelf may be raised and lowered, while at the other end they form hooks, which hook over the brace f.

ith the exception of the top and front side the booth is entirely enveloped by a strong canvas curtain 1, (shown onlyin dotted lines,) which may be fastened upon the frame-work by means of snaps and rings, tie-ribbons, or any other convenient method which may be preferred.

The front'of the booth is closed or covered by means of acurtain 2 of material similar to curtain 1. This curtain is hung upon the rod 7' by means of a number of sliding rings 3, so that it may be drawn open or closed at will.

When it is desired to fold up the booth for the purpose of storing it away, I remove the curtains 1 and 2,'which are folded up. into a small bundle. Then I raise the shelf up and fold it back into the side frame I) e d 9, where it may be fastened by a snap and ring or any other desired method. Then I raise the end of the rod 1', which rests in the plug 19 at the top of the standard a, and place it into the plug at the top of the standard d. Then breaking the knuckle-joints of the braces 00 and y, I can fold the two side frames up close to one another, as shown in Fig. 2.

When so folded, my booth only occupies a space of twice the thicknessof the standards, and may be stored in a very small space.

I am aware that other folding booths have been used, and so do not make claim,broadly, to a folding booth; but

What I do claim as-my invention, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. The combination, in a folding booth, of a frame-work consisting of four strong standards a, b, c, and d, which are fastened together by six horizontal and stationary braces e,f, g, h, t, and j, and by two knuckle-jointed braces 02 and g, which cross each other and the back side of the frame-work diagonally, the opposite ends of the same being pivoted to the opposite rear standards, with the envelopingcurtain 1, the rod r, and the curtain 2, which is suspended from the rod 7', all substantially as described, and for .the purpose set forth.

2, In a. folding booth, the combination of the frame-work consisting of the four standards a, b, c, and d, the horizontal connectingbraces e, f, g, h, 2', and j, and the knucklejoint braces 00 and y, with a writing-shelf 70,

which is suspended between the braces cand f, and upon the iron bars Z Z, and envelopingcurtain 1, a curtain-rod a", and a curtain 2, as described, and for the purposes set forth.

3. The combination, in afoldingbooth,of a frame-work consisting of two upright side frames a j c h and b i d g, respectively, which are connected by two knuckle-joint braces 00 and g, which cross the back of the framework diagonally, in which position they are fastened by pivots to the standards 0 and d, said knuckle-joint braces being so situated that when the joints are sprung open the two side frames may be folded or closed up close together, and a swinging shelf k, with an enveloping-curtain 1, a curtain-rod r, and acurtain 2, all as and for the purpose specified and set forth.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

JOHN HANLEY.

Witnesses: v

FRANK HEGARTY, JOHN M. SAMUELs. 

